Receptacle for sterilization and storage of dental instruments



1962 E. o. THOMPSON ETAL 3,067,864

RECEPTACLE FOR STERILIZATION AND STORAGE OF DENTAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Nov. 14, 1960 INVENTORS ELBERT O. THOMPSON LOUIS N. BAGLEY Unite Thisinvention relates to receptacles and is concerned with providing a durable receptacle for holding dental instruments during the sterlization thereof and for holding them thereafter in sterile condition awaiting reuse.

Sterilization and storage of dental instruments is ordinarily a haphazard procedure. The various hand instruments and burrs for the dental drill are usually loaded into a sterilizer following use, the sterilizer being operated periodically and the sterile instruments being removed to a non-sterile cabinet where they are kept available for reuse.

A principal object of this invention is to enable convenient grouping of a limited number of different instruments into a working set for sterilization as a group, along with similar sets, and for sterile storage thereafter as a package, along with the similar sets as similar packages which may be opened individually as and when required.

A feature of the invention is the provision of an elongate, tubular container for the reception of dental hand instruments and the provision of a closure cap for the container in the form of a holder for drill burrs. Another feature is the manner in which such holder is constructed for effective results, convenience of operation, and simplicity and economy of manufacture.

A specific embodiment, representing what is presently regarded as the best mode of carrying out the invention in actual practice, is illustrated in the accompanying drawmg.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the receptacle in its closed condition, holding sterilized dental hand instruments and drill burrs as a sterile package;

FIG. 2, a longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and drawn to a greatly enlarged scale;

FIG. 3, a bottom perspective view of the closure cap for the container portion of the receptacle, with its burrholding structure in clamping position, the view being drawn to a still larger scale;

FIG. 4, a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and drawn to the scale of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5, a corresponding view showing the clamping plate of the burr holder turned to unclamping position.

Referring to the drawing:

In the illustrated form of the invention, an elongate, solid walled, tubular container of cylindrical configuration is tightly closed by a tight-fitting cap 11 at such times as it contains sterile dental hand instruments, FIG. 2, such as a dental mirror 12, dental probes 13, etc., and dental drill burrs 14. This forms a handy package for convenient storage of such instruments and burrs in sterile condition until required by the dentist.

Both the container 10 and cap 11 are fabricated from some durable material, advantageously, aluminum, with the open, dispensing end of the container internally screw threaded, as at 100, FIG. 2, and with the cap externally screw threaded, as at 11a, FIGS. 2 and 5, for inset, mating relationship with the container.

The cap 11 has a holder for the dental drill burrs 14 secured to its underside. In the present instance, such holder 15 is of clamping type and comprises a post 16, which depends from securement to the center of the rates Patent Patented Dec. 11, 1962 underside of cap 11 for the reception of a clamp plate 17 in up and down sliding relationship therewith. The underside of cap 11 is desirably variously recessed, as at 18 and 19, for accommodating different burrs 14 and firmly seating them against the clamping urge of plate 17.

It is a feature of this invention that post 16 is of Iongitudinally slotted formation, having a slot 20' which provides a narrow and fiat superficial area extending longitudinally of the post and which thereby cooperates with a fixed bar 21 carried by the underside of clamp plate 17 to permit easy sliding of such plate to adjusted clamping position and easy locking of the plate in such position.

Bar 21 is fixedly carried at the underside of clamp plate 17, being preferably sunk within a recess 22 and fixed in position by upsetting the material of plate 17 as at 17a. It is positioned oil-center on such plate sufficiently to only-lightly bear against post 16 when flush with the fiat superficial area provided by slot 20, see FIG. 5, but to bear heavily against post 16 when plate 17 is turned therefrom as in FIGS. 3 and 4. The latter is the locked position of such plate, while the former is the adjustable position thereof.

It should be noted that the bar 21 is slender, so as to have resiliency, which aids in the locking action. Because of slot 20, post 16 also has some resiliency, which also participates in the locking action.

The instruments 12 and 13 and burrs 14 are sterilized by first being placed and clamped in proper positions within the container 10 and cap 11 portions of the receptacle, followed by placement of the still open receptacle in a sterilizer and by operation of the sterilizer. The instruments are preferably first Wrapped in a porous sheet of paper 22, FIG. 2, which is resistant to disintegration in the presence of moisture and heat. After sterilization, cap 11 with its load of sterile burrs is screwed tightly into the open end of container 10. This seals both the instruments and the burrs in a sterile or near sterile atmosphere and protects them from contamination until the receptacle is opened at such time as the dentist is ready for another package of instruments and burrs.

Whereas there is here illustrated and described a certain preferred construction of apparatus which we presently regard as the best mode of carrying out our invention, it should be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the inventive concepts particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed herebelow.

We claim:

1. A receptacle for the sterilization and storage of dental instruments, comprising an elongate, solid walled, tubular container of durable material having one end open for the reception of several hand instruments; a tightfitting closure cap for said open end of the container, said cap having its underside recessed to provide a plurality of seats for individual burrs; a post secured to and depending centrally from the underside of the cap, said post being a longitudinally slotted tube presenting a narrow flat area along the slot; a clamp plate slidable along said post for adjustment purposes; and a fixed bar carried on the underside of said plate in a position to bear lightly against said post and permit sliding of said plate therealong when in flush registry with said fiat area, but to bear heavily against said post and lock said plate in adjusted position when turned from said flush registry.

2. A holding device for dental burrs or the like, comprising a receptacle having a plurality of recesses in one face thereof for receiving respective burrs or the like; a post secured to the receptacle and extending from the said face thereof, said post being a longitudinally slotted tube presenting a narrow fiat area along the slot; a clamp plate slidable along said post for adjustment purposes; and a fixed bar carried by the plate in a position to bear lightly against said post and permit sliding of said plate therealong when in flush registry with said fiat area, but to bear heavily against said post and lock said plate in adjusted position when turned from said flush registry.

3. A receptacle for the sterilization and storage of dental instruments, comprising an elongate, solid walled, tubular container of durable material having one end open for the reception of several hand instruments; a tight-fitting closure cap for said open end of the container, said cap having its underside recessed to provide 4 a plurality of seats for individual burrs; structure secured to and depending from the underside of the cap; a plate mounted on said structure for movement toward and away from the cap; and means for securing the plate in any given adjusted position on said structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,135,625 Savin Apr. 13, 1915 1,220,256 Miller Mar. 27, 1917 1,384,849 Power July 19, 1921 2,435,994 Zukerman Feb. 17, 1948 

